A Big Impression for a Tiny Lipstick

05 Oct A Big Impression for a Tiny Lipstick

Bésame Cosmetics has been tripling its annual revenue by focusing on design, craftsmanship, and showpiece packaging inspired by vintage glamour.

Gabriela Hernandez’ sense of style has always been informed by the chic elegance of such film stars as Rita Hayworth and Bette Davis. So when Hernandez decided to create her own makeup company, Bésame Cosmetics, it was only natural she would return to Hollywood’s golden age of beauty.

A successful art historian and graphic designer, Hernandez had worked on marketing and advertising for a number of companies, including McDonald’s (MCD ) and Kodak (EK ), at the Alma Group, the design agency she founded with her husband in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, Calif. However, it was in the midst of projects for major cosmetics brands that she began toying with the idea of creating her own beauty firm. Frustrated with what was available in terms of sophistication, glamour, and quality, Hernandez decided to create a modern line that translated the style and craftsmanship of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. It was a time when cosmetics were designed to be glamorous and even the packaging was considered an elegantly made showpiece.